322 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



another ; but they are too expensive. Carbonizhig, by means of 

 a moveable jet of flame, is the best plan, and is adopted by the 

 French for railroad ties. 



Mr. Cavauach. — Coal-tar is cheapest and is used by most of the 

 nurserymen. 



Mr. Nichols. — I dipped pine and chestnut posts in tar five years 

 ago, and they are still sound. White cedar posts with us rot in 

 from three to four years. 



Mr, Adrian Bergen. — Some posts last five years ; again, some 

 last twenty. Peoplo do not understand this subject. Posts should 

 be set on end three years to seasoji, then they will last. 



Mr. H. B, Smith. — A wet post covered with tar will rot in a 

 short time. The most important point is to have the timber well 

 seasoned. 



Mr. John Crane. — Timber is much more durable if cut in the 

 summer. 



The Peoduct of Half an Acee. 

 Mr. H. A. Holderman, North Manchester, Wabash county, Ind., 

 says : " That from this ground he raised ten bushels Irish potatoes, 

 five bushels sweet potatoes, two and a half bushels flour corn, two 

 pecks pop corn, one bushel Lima beans (next year will plant with the 

 eyes down and will get double the crop), five bushels of turnips, 

 two bushels onions, half bushel vegetable oysters, forty-two head 

 of cabbage, eight bushels of tomatoes, fifty bushels of hemp seed, 

 half Ijushel of snap beans, peas, onion sets, squashes, cucumbers, 

 melons, pumpkins, raspberries, enough for the family, apples 

 for the family, and besides gathered garden herbs. On 

 the ground are thirteen young apple, three cherry, three pear, 

 and seven peach trees, a strawberry bed, and a stable and cow 

 house, 40x20. The ground was worked in spare hours, and the 

 product made the grocer's bill small." 



Westeen Grape Cultuee. 

 Dr. C. J. May, Warsaw, 111., was introduced, and stated some 

 facts touching the culture of grapes. He said his experience with 

 grapes had been principally in Illinois, where they have over 

 2,000,000 of grape vines. They commenced there with the Ca- 

 tawba. In 1863 and 1864 the first buds were killed. After the 

 Catawba they introduced the Delaware. Then they planted the 

 Concord grape. He thinks that every vine that was lost died in 



